Cranford By Elizabeth Gaskell

The fictitious town of “Cranford” is in possession of amazons, dominated by the genteel women comprising of widows and elderly spinsters.

The novel is recited by Mary Smiths (which we eventually get to know as the novel progresses).

Written as a collection of inter-woven short stories, Cranford is not based on a major-plot but I felt it to be a Victorian-era soap opera belonging to the aristocratic genteel class.

This fictional city has an infallible religion of - abiding to the social-hierarchy and contempt for men. But the beauty of the novel is, though initially they speak of indifference towards men but nowhere there is a stern condemnation for men portrayed, rather in subtle gentle ways help towards their family is rendered and their wisdom/instruction is followed.  

All the episodes are cited in a satirical and hysterical tenor. Even the poignant episodes ensue into a happy ending.

The novel brims with emotions and lessons of friendship and kindness. Even foes become friends and woes turn into lessons of happiness.

Not a plot-driven, but a “society and mannerism driven” book, for me it was a light-hearted read which made me nostalgic of the days when my late mother would conduct “Kitty parties”, where elite women would come and discuss about their woes and achievements, establish protocols and rules, and all this conducted over card parties and drinks, and so much more!

There is definitely a subtle dichotomy between men and women established in the village of Cranford. They put up cogent arguments to prove their correctness for etiquettes.

The women of Cranford are invariably fain to make sacrifices for each other lovingly.

 The Cranford women are unmitigatedly gentile, aristocratic, scrupulous, honest, loving, kind. Irrespective of them being to as amazons, nowhere have they belittled or disparaged men, rather they have showered their love and affection!

In short, women at Cranford women have a predilection for love and kindness in their blood. A careworn expression on anyone's face is duly rectified by acts of kindness.

Kind and cute contrivances are devised for helping each other and are executed with avidity.

 

For my reference mentioning a gist of the chapters as they roll around-

 

Chapters 1-2

We are introduced to the fictitious town of Cranford led by the unchallenged and infallible leader of the ladies’ gang, Miss Deborah Jenkyns.

Mary Smith, the reciter of the novel (eventually introduced later as the novel progresses) lives with her father in the industrial down of Drumble.

'it was considered 'vulgar' to give anything expensive, in the way of eatable or drinkable, at the evening entertainments"

Captain Brown arrives with his two daughters, his masculine presence as expected is distasteful to all the Cranford ladies. Miss Jenkyns ends up having a a literary dispute with him. There is an added poignancy in this chapter amidst the hilarious description of the ladies (not including spoilers).

The poignancy is handled with sheer kindness by the ladies.

 

Chapters 3-4

 

Miss Jenkyns’s younger sister, Miss Matty Jenkyns, a complete contrast to her sister, takes over the proceedings of Cranford from her sister.

She is shown to harbour feeling for one of his ex-suitors (who proposed her 30-40 years ago)

Here a beautiful picturization of human emotions and love is depicted, which prolongs even after the love is gone, with an added concealment of grief.

 

"I could perceive she was in a tremor at the thought of seeing the place which might have been her home, and round which it is probable that many of her innocent girlish imaginations had clustered"

 

Chapters 5-6

 

Ferreting the old letters, Mary discovers Matty and Deborah have a long-lost brother Peter. Here we get to know about the story of Peter and the presumption of him being dead by Miss Matty

"but there was another letter of exhortation from the grandfather, more stringent and admonitory than ever, now that there was a boy to be guarded from the snares of the world"

 

Chapters 7-8

 

Here we are introduced to Miss Betty, who invites Miss Matty and there Cranford ladies for a tea party. Unaware of the etiquettes of Cranford, she ends up breaking many. We are also introduced to the arrival of the snobbish Lady Glenmire, who eventually turns out to be warm and kind-spirited

"we were rather glad to hear this, for she had made a pleasant impression upon us, and it was also very comfortable to find, from things that dropped out in the conversation, that, in addition to many other genteel qualities, she was from removed from the 'vulgarity of wealth' "

 

Chapter 9

A Conjurer puts up an act in Cranford and ladies are bewitched and left awe-stricken

 

Chapter 10-11

 

Robberies take place in Cranford, and the prime suspect is the conjurer. Upon knowing the hardship of the conjurer and releasing him of the guilt-charges, the Cranford ladies end up helping him.

 

Chapter 12

 

Cranford ladies are shaken upon the news of marriage of Lady Glenmire, but finally a precedent is laid upon how to react to the unpleasant news

"it is never genteel to be over-curious on these occasions"

 

Chapters 13-16

 

Financial troubles abound Miss Matty, and the friendliness and kindness of the Cranford ladies including brother Peter help her to be restored.

Finally, peace is restored to Cranford

 

Closing lines-

"Ever since that day there has been the old friendly sociability in Cranford

society; which I am thankful for, because of my dear Miss Matty’s love of

peace and kindliness. We all love Miss Matty, and I somehow think we

are all of us better when she is near us."

 

A definite 5-star for this not-a-gargantuan-novel and impressive feat of writing by Elizabeth Gaskell from me 😊